Builder mechanism for spinning frames



Nov. 7., 1939.

L. DESROSIER$ BUILDER MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed June so, 1957' 6 Sheets-Sheet l i Q. m

mm M? Mm @Q mmw m INVENTOH o- N m L A Nov. 7, 1939. L. DESROSHERS BUILDER MECHANISM FOR SPINNI NG FRAMES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1937 \I N VEN TOR L-DESROSIER$ wmvw ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1939. L. DESROSIERE I BUILDER MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed June 30, 193'? 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR L.DESROSIERS a BY -.(Qrm

ATTOR M: w u m? Nov. 7, 1939. 1.. DESROSIERS BUILDER MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed June 50. 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 AT TORNEY Nov. 7, 1939. 1.. DESROSIERS BUILDER MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed June 30, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwwm ATTORNEY 5 RR m 5 N0 g E mg L Nov. 7, 1939. L. DESROSIERS BUILDER MECHANISM FOR SPINNING FRAMES Filed June 30, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 v m@ Aw W I 1 NVEN TOR L DESROSIERS ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 193% Lionel Desrosiers, Lachute Mills, Quebec, (Canada,

assigncr to Whitin Machine Works, Whitinsville, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application .llune 30,

5 Claims.

This invention relates to builder mechanism for spinning frames and particularly to improvements in the type of builder mechanism disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,926,390 granted Sept. 12, 1933.

An important feature of the mechanism disclosed in said patent is a wind-back motion for returning the spindle rails to starting position and stopping the machine, ready for doffing, when the winding of the bobbins is completed. Commencement of this motion must be accurately timed to ensure successful operation. If the timing is too late the spindle rails will not be raised to the original starting position and will thus fail to engage and operate the switch which causes the machine to be brought to rest. The resulting continuation of the winding motion will cause surplus yarn to be incorrectly placed on the bobbins until the machine is brought to rest by an attendant. If the timing is too early this may result in suflicient overtravel of the rails in an upward direction to cause breakage of the switch or other parts of the mechanism.

Accidental changes in the timing of the windback motion under operating conditions are usually due to imperfect adjustment of the restrainor braking pressure exerted on the sliding clutch reversing shaft by the spring device pro vided for this purpose. If the braking pressure is excessive the shifting of the shaft to the windbaclr position by the clutch reversing lever may be delayed sufiiciently to cause late commencement of the wind-back motion. If the braking pressure is inadequate the reversing shaft may be prematurely shifted to the wind-back position or it may even assume a neutral position during movement of the reversing lever in either directicn. If the reversing shaft comes to rest in the neutral position the worm shaft, which controls both the progressive lowering and the wind-back of the spindle rails, will be thrown out of action with the result that the yarn will be incorrectly wound on the bobbins during the period that this condition is permitted to exist. The shifting of the clutch reversing shaft to the starting posi tion as the wind back motion is completed may also be delayed if the braking pressure on the shaft is excessive. This, however, is not a very matter since the machine is brought to the wind-back motion is completed.

In practice considerable difficulty is experienced in closely regulating the braking pressure the clutch reversing shaft so that this pressure will always serve its intended purpose without 1937, Serial No. 151,308

delaying the shifting of the shaft to the windbacl; position.

With the foregoing in mind the object of the present invention is to provide simple and efficient means for preventing delays in the commencement of wind-baclr motion due to the retarding action the braking pressure applied to the clutch reversing shaft. This object is accomplished, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, by the provision of an auxiliary clutch shifting device comprising a normally retracted, spring-actuated impact member arranged to be released at the proper instant to strike the clutch reversing shaft with sufiicient force to overcome the retarding effect of the braking pressure and ensure rapid shifting of the shaft to the wind'back position.

The invention also contemplates the provision of releasable restraining means by which the automatic clutch shifting means is permitted to become effective to shift the clutches to the wind-back position only when the builder cam is revolved to a predetermined position in relation to the cam engaging roller of the builder lever, the selected position of the cam being preferably such that the shifting of the clutches to the wind-back position occurs when the rail shifting shaft of the building lever is idle. The best results are obtained when the shifting of the clutches to the wind-back position is timed to l occur when the lowest point of the cam is passing over the cam engaging roller of the buildel lever. This ensures that the cam will come tc rest at the completion of the wind-back operation with its highest point engaging said roller 1 so that, when the machine is started up again after the dofiing operation, the initial movement of the spindle rails in response to rotation of the cam will be in a downward direction.

Proceeding now to a more detailed description reference will be had to the accompanying drawlugs-wherein Fig. l is a side elevation of a builder mechaeuuipped with an auxiliary clutch shifting device designed in accordance with the present invention. This view shows the various elements in the position which theyoccupy during the winding of the bobbins.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the various elements in the position which they occupy during the operation of the wind-back motion.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of peering in Fig. l.

Fig. i is a detail view, partly in section, showthe assembly aping the mounting of the spring device by which the restraining or braking pressure is applied to the sliding clutch reversing shaft.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the auxiliary clutch shifting device, the cooperating parts of the builder mechanism being shown in dotted outline.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the auxiliary clutch shifting device appearing in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a tranverse sectional view taken substantially along the line l'l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a latch releasing member forming part of the auxiliary clutch shifting device.

Figs. 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig. 5 but showing a modified clutch shifting and timing mechanism.

Fig. 11 is a detail view of a latch appearing in Figs. 9 and 10.

In these drawings the builder lever is indicated at 5. One end is pivotally mounted on a continuously rotating shaft 6 which serves as the power shaft of the wind-back motion. The other end carries a roll 'a' engaged by the heart-shaped builder cam 8 fixed to a continuously rotating shaft 9. The roll 5 is held to the builder cam by the weight of the spindle rails iii and parts associated therewith. The spindle rails are connected by cross members i! and are mounted to slide on vertical guide rods H2. The cross members are suspended from shafts E3 and i l (Fig. l.) by flexible suspension members 55 having their lower ends fastened to the cross members and their upper ends fastened to winding pulleys It. Shafts i3 and It are connected by chain I? and suitable sprockets (not shown) so that rotation of shaft 13 in one direction causes shaft M to rotate in the opposite direction. A further sprocket E6 on shaft 53 (Fig. 1) is connected by chain is to a sprocket ZS (Fig. 3) on transversely extending rail shifting shaft 2i carried by lever 5. A worm wheel 22 on shaft 2! is engaged by a worm (Fig. l) on a longitudinally extending worm shaft 2 t, also carried by lever 5.

Clutch members 26 and El are slidably mounted on opposite ends of the worm shaft 24. These members are grooved to receive yokes 28 fixed to opposite ends of a sliding clutch reversing shaft 29 supported in bearings 3U depending from the lever 5. A spring device, generally indicated at 3! in Figs. 1 and 2, is associated with the right hand bearing 30 to apply restraining or braking pressure to the shaft 29. As shown more particularly in Fig. 4, the spring device 3! comprises a spring casing 32 in threaded engagement with the enlarged outer end of a radial bore 33 formed in the right hand bearing 3i}, a ball 3 3 at the inner end of said bore and a spring 35 having its inner end bearing against the ball and its outer end seated in the spring casing 32. The pressure of ball 3 on the clutch reversing shaft 29 is regulated by adjusting the casing 32 to regulate the compression of the spring 35. Shaft 28 is provided with ball receiving recesses 35; and 31. When shaft 2!! is in the starting position shown in Fig. l, the ball engages the recess 36 and serves to hold shaft 29 against premature or accidental shifting due to vibration or other causes. When shaft 29 is shifted from the starting to the wind-back position shown in Fig. 2 it is similarly held against accidental displacement by engagement of the ball 34 in the recess 31.

The clutch members 26 and 21 cooperate with clutch members 39 and 56 fixed to the inner ends of shafts 42 and M respectively mounted on lever 5 in axial alignment with shaft 24. The outer end of shaft 32 is equipped with a bevel gear M meshing with a similar gear 45 fixed to the shaft 6. The outer end of shaft d3 carries a ratchet wheel 4i which is engaged by a driving pawl 48 (Fig. 3) and intermittently rotated in a direction opposite to rotation of the shafts 6 and 42. One end of pawl A8 is pivoted to the outer extremity of a pawl carrying arm 9 projecting from a hub 59 rotatably mounted on haft 63. A vertical rod 5! (Fig. 1) is pivoted at its lower end to the pawl carrying arm 49. This rod extends upwardly through a suitable opening in the arm 52 of a bell crank lever 53 which is rotatably mounted on the shaft 54 of the cam engaging roller I. Collars 55 and 56 are fixed to the rod 5i above and below the arm ii to cooperate therewith. The remaining arm 5? of the bell crank lever 53 is positioned to be periodically engaged and depressed by a stud 58 (Fig. 3) projecting from the builder cam 8. At each depression of the arm 51 the companion arm 52 is raised and acts, through the collar 55, rod 5i, arm 39, and pawl 48, to effect a predetermined rotation of shaft 43. When stud 56 passes out of engagement with arm 51 the pawl actuating arm 52 swings downwardly and acts, through collar 5%, rod 5!, and arm as, to effect a return movement of pawl 48 to its initial position, which is determined by the adjustment of a stop 59 (Fig. 2) positioned to limit the downward movement of the pawl carrying arm 49.

The shifting of the clutch reversing shaft 29 is controlled by a reversing lever 61 (Figs. 1 and 2) intermediately pivoted to the builder lever 5 as indicated at 62. The lower end of lever F5! carries a stud 63 which lies between the cooperating flanges 64 and 65 of a collar 65a fixed to shaft 29. The upper end of lever 6! is disposed in the path of suitable actuating lugs 66 and 6'! adjustably mounted on a disk 68 fixed to shaft 2|. During the winding of the bobbins the shaft 29 and lever 6i are positioned as shown in Fig. 1 so that shaft 2 5 is clutched to and intermittently rotated by the pawl actuated feed shaft 43. The resulting intermittent rotation of shaft 2! gradually unwinds the chain l9 from sprocket 20 to effect a progressive lowering of the rails H) in addition to the alternate raising and lowering of the rails caused by the alternate raising and lowering of the cam actuated lever 5.

When the winding of the bobbins is completed the lever B! is engaged by the lug 55 and swung from starting position shown in Fig. 1 to the wind-back position shown in Fig. 2. During this operation the stud G3 at the lower end of lever iii acts against the flange 65 to shift the shaft 29 t0 the Wind-back position in which the shaft 24 is freed from shaft 43 and clutched to shaft 42 so that shaft 2! and sprocket 2!! are continuously rotated in the reverse direction to restore the rails If! to starting position. As the rails resume their starting position the machine is brought to rest by the operation of a suitable switch as described in the aforesaid United States patent.

A cam projection. l0 (Figs. 1 and 2) is fixed to lever iii to cooperate with a spring pressed plunger ll mounted in a casing 72 secured to lever 5. The pressure of plunger H against the projection l9 serves to accelerate the latter part of the movement of lever 65 as the latter is swung in either direction.

Before the machine is brought to rest at the completion of the wind-back operation the lever til is engaged by thelug ill and returned to the starting position shown in Fig. 1.

In shifting lever iii to the wind-back position, lug acts against the upper end of the lever until the point of the cam projection it passes over .oe point of the plunger l i. Thelatter then.

becomes effective to accelerate the movement of the lever so that the upper end of the lever travels ahead of the lug fit. It sometimes hapthat the propelling force with which the lug (i3 is urged against the flange 65 by the plunger ii is insufficient to immediately overcome the restraining force exerted on shaft it by the spring device 3!. In this event the shifting of shaft may be delayed until lug lid overtakes the lever 65 and exerts further pressure thereon. The resulting delayin commencement of the wind-back motion gives rise to serious operating di'-iculties as previously explained.

Ihe foregoing construction forms no part of the present invention except insofar as certain elements of such construction are cooperatively related to the auxiliary clutch shifting mechanisrn hereinafter described.

As here shown, the auxiliary clutch shifting device comprises an L-shaped impact member M (Fig. 5) presenting a vertical arm i5 terminating in a collar Ni fixed to one end of a rod H and a horizontal arm l8 terminating in an enlarged impact head l9 disposed in axial alignment with the right hand end of shaft 25. The rod Tl is slidably mounted in bearing blocks ilil and ti supported by brackets 82 attached to lever 5. As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the rod ll is normally held in a retracted position against the resistance of a propelling spring 83 by a latch E l which is pivoted to the bearing block til, as

indicated at 85 (Fig. 6), and is engaged in a notch 86 formed in rod ill. The latch is yieldingly held in its operative position by a spring ill. The propelling spring 83 is arranged on rod W with one end engaging the bearing blocktil and the other end engagingan abutment 88 fixed to the left hand end of the rod.

The free end of latch 34 rests on a latch releasing member 89 slidably mounted in a slot 9B formed in the bearing block as. The latch releasing member is is connected to the reversing lever all by the eye-bolt connection 9! (Fig. 8) and is providedwith a cam projection 92 which serves to lift the latch 8 clear of the notch 86 when the lever bl is moved by the lug 66 to a position where the point of the lever cam iii has passed over'thepoint of the spring pressed plunger ll. When this occurs the spring 83, which is normally compressed, becomes eiiective to propel the rod El and the impact member it from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2. The impact head it is thus driven againstthe adjacent end of shaft with suilicient force to overcome the resistance of the spring restraining device 3! and eiliect immediate shifting of the shalt to the wind-back position. Since the propelling force of the spring actuated impact member M is greatly in excess of the restraining force of the spring device ti no serious consequences follow when the latter is accidentally adjusted to apply a restraining pressure greater than that actually required to prevent accidental displacement of shaft iii due to vibration or the like.

When lever ti and latch releasing member dd are automatically returned to starting position upon completion of the wind-back motion the rod fill and impact member may be reset by hand or automatically. In the present instance I have shown automatic resetting mechanism including a resetting handle 94 pivoted, at 95, to a plate 96 adjustably secured to a lug 9? on the collar iii of the impact member M. A coiled spring 98 is connected between the handle 9t and a post as rising from the bearing block 8i. When the rod ll is in its retracted position the handle 96 is swung forwardly by he pull of the spring 98 and lies in an inclined position against the lug 9? as shown in Fig. 5. In this position the handle is cleared by a crank extension lill, fastened to the stud 5c of the builder cam 8.

A smallrocl N22 is arranged within the coiled spring 98 with one end pivotally attached to the handle 94. When the handle at is in the position shown in Fig. l the opposite or free end of rod I02 is spaced from the post 99. When the rod ii and impact member M are released and shifted to the position shown in Fig. 2 the free end of rod Hi2 engages the post 99 at a suitable instance before the rod ll reaches the end of its clutch reversing travel. As the handle continues to travel with the rod ill the pressure of the rod it)? serves to swing the handle to the more or less upright position as shown in Fig. 2. The handle is thus disposed to be engaged and returned to its starting position by the crank extension Hill as the latter makes a complete anti-clockwise revolution, from the position shown in Fig. 1. During the resetting operation the h ndle is held upright by the pressure of the ank extension lili until it reaches the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2. At this time the cranlr. extension leaves the resetting handle and permits it to resume the inclined position shown in Fig. 1. When engaged by the crank exteneion iill the handle is prevented from swinging too far to the right by a stop mil (Fig. 5) carried by the plate 3'6 in suitable proximity to the lower end of the handle.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a second re straining latch for the clutch shifting mechanism which serves as a timing device to pre- 1 vent shifting of the clutches to the wind-back position until the cam reaches a predetermined position in relation to the camengaging roller of the builder lever. In this case a second latch assembly, generally indicated at Hi5, is associated with the reversing lever ill and serves as a timing device which prevents releasement of the latch il l until the cam t reaches a position where the lowest point L of the cam is passing over the roller l, as shown in Fig. 10. In this position of the cam the worm shaft @3 is at rest since the stud 58 is moving toward but has not yet engaged the pawl actuating arm 57!. When the shifting of the clutches to the wind-back.

position is timed to occur at the instant when I the lowest point L of the cam is passing over the roller l the cam will come to rest at the completion of the wind-back operation with the highest point P of the cam engaging the roller i so that, when the machine is again started up, the initial movement of the builder lever in response to rotation of the cam will be in an upward or rail lowering direction.

The latch assembly lilll con" rises a horizontally slidabie king between side walls Hill and .om tli ing block M. The ends of s walls est to the lever ii are connected by a transv *se wall its provided with a slot Mil for the passage of the latch Hi6. One end of latch lil i is connected to lever (it by an eye bolt connection lfllia. Adjacent its opposite end, latch m6 is provided with a downwardly facing notch Ill (Fig. 11) affording a stop shoulder H2 opposed to a transversely extending latch retaining member l is working in downwardly opening slots lHl formed in the walls Eli? and Hit. One end of the latch retaining member M3 is mounted on a pivot M30! carried by the wall EDT and is normally held in the raised position shown in Fig. 9 by a suitable spring H5. The other end of member H3 projects beyond the wall If!!! and lies beneath the horizontal arm Nb of an L-shaped rod Hi having its vertical arm H8 fastened to a bracket 5 ll?! which extends outwardly over the builder lever 5 from a suitable portion l2!) (Fig. 9) of the machine frame. The latch IE6 is normally positioned so that its shoulder H2 is spaced a slight distance from the opposing surface of the latch retaining member H3.

lT'he operation of the latch assembly "it will be clear from the following description: When the lever 65 is moved by the lug (it to a position where the point of the cam projection if] has just passed over the point of the spring pressed plunger ll, the latch member W6 is moved to the right by the eye bolt connection Hi3 so that the shoulder 5 i2 is jammed against the opposing surface of the latch retaining member l I? as shown in Fig. 9. This engagement of the shoulder H2 with the latch retaining member H3 occurs before the lever 65 has moved a sufficient distance to release the latch 84. The latch Hi6 therefore serves to prevent releasement of the latch M until the cam reaches the position shown in Fig. 10. As the cam reaches this position the upward movement of the builder lever 5 causes the free end of the latch retaining member M3 to engage and be depressed by the lower arm N6 of the rod ill. The latch retaining member I it is depressed sufficiently by engagement with the arm M6 so that its upper edge is moved downwardly clear of the shoulder H2. The latch member ltii is then free to travel to the right to permit releasement of the latch 84 by the lever 6!.

Having set forth the principles of the invention, together with a preferred embodiment, I reserve the right to such modifications as fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as 50 defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a builder mechanism for spinning frames comprising a builder lever, a builder cam, a railshifting shaft rotatably mounted thereon, railshii'ting connections functioning to progressively lower rail of the machine in response to rotation of the shaft in one direction and to return the rail to starting position in response to rota- 60 tion of the shaft in the reverse direction, means for intermittently rotating said shaft in a raillowering direction during the winding of the bobbins, means for continuously rotating the shaft in the reverse direction after the winding is of the bobbins is completed, alternately operative clutch members shiftable to a starting position to establish a driving connection between said shaft and said first-mentioned means or to a wind-back position to establish driving con- 70 nection between said shaft and said second means, an automatically operated clutch-reversing element, and means to cause said element to shift the clutch members to the wind-back position when the winding of the bobbins has proceeded for a predetermined period, that improvement which consists in providing an auxiliary impact member effective to exert an abrupt supplemental propelling force directly and axially on said clutch-reversing element, and means coacting with said builder mechanism to determine the point in the cycle of building operation at which said impact member becomes operative.

2. In a builder mechanism for spinning frames comprising a builder lever, a builder cam, a rail-shifting shaft rotatably mounted thereon, rail-shifting connections functioning to progressively lower a rail of the machine in response to rotation of the shaft in one direction and to return the rail to starting position in response to rotation of the shaft in the reverse direction, means for intermittently rotating said shaft in a rail-lowering direction during the winding of the bobbins, means for continuously rotating the shaft in the reverse direction after the winding of the bobbins is completed, alternately operative clutch members shiftable to a starting position to establish a driving connection between said shaft and said first-mentioned means or to a wind-back position to establish driving con' nection between said shaft and said second means, an automatically operated clutch-reversing element, and means to cause said element to shift the clutch members to the wind-back position when the winding of the bobbins has proceeded for a predetermined period, that improvement which consists in providing an auxiliary impact member effective to exert an abru t supplemental propelling force directly and axially on said clutch-reversing element, and

means coacting with a fixed abutment on said spinning frame to release said impact member as said builder lever is engaged by the low point of the builder cam.

3. In a builder mechanism for spinning frames comprising a builder lever, a builder cam, a railshifting shaft rotatably mounted thereon, railshifting connections functioning to progressively lower a rail of the machine in response to rotation of the shaft in one direction and to return the rail to starting position in response to rotation of the shaft in the reverse direction, means for intermittently rotating said shaft in a raillowering direction during the winding of the bobbins, means for continuously rotating the shaft in the reverse direction after the winding of the bobbins is completed, alternately operative clutch members shiftable to a starting position to establish a driving connection between said shaft and said firstmentioned means or to a wind-back position to establish driving connection between said shaft and said second means, an automatically operated clutch-reversing element, and means to cause said element to shift the clutch members to the wind-back position when the winding of the bobbins has proceeded for a predetermined period, that improvement which consists in providing a separate and additional impact member adapted to deliver a sharp blow against the clutch-reversing element to assist in shifting the clutch member to the wind-back position, a propelling spring effective to give said impact member an operative movement, a latch normally holding said impact member in a retracted position against the force of said spring, and automatic means coacting with said builder mechanism to release said impact member at a predetermined point in the cycle of building operation.

4. In a builder mechanism for spinning frames" comprising a builder lever, a builder cam, a railshifting shaft rotatably mounted thereon, railshifting connections functioning to progressively lower a rail of the machine in response to rotation of the shaft in one direction and to return the rail to starting position in response to rotation of the shaft in the reverse direction, means for intermittently rotating said shaft in a raillowering direction during the winding of the bobbins, means for continuously rotating the shaft in the reverse direction after the winding of the bobbins is completed, alternately operative clutch members shiftable to a starting position to establish a driving connection between said shaft and said first-mentioned means or to a wind-back position to establish driving connection between said shaft and said second means, an automatic clutch-reversing element, and means to cause said element to shift the clutch members to the Wind-back position when the winding of the bobbins has proceeded for" a predetermined period, that improvement which consists in providing an auxiliary impact member effective to exert an abrupt supplemental propelling force directly and axially on said clutchreversing element, and means coacting with said builder mechanism to release said impact mem ber at a point in the cycle of building operation at which the intermittent feed of the rail-shifting shaft is inoperative.

5. In a builder mechanism for spinning frames comprising a builder lever, a builder cam, a railshifting shaft rotatably mounted thereon, railshifting connections functioning to progressively tion of the shaft in the reverse direction, means for intermittently rotating said shaft in a raillowering direction during the winding of the bobbins, means for continuously rotating the shaft in the reverse direction after the winding of the bobbins is completed, alternately operative clutch members shiftable to a starting position to establish a driving connection between said shaft and said first-mentioned means or to a wind-back position to establish a driving connection between said shaft and said second means, an automatic clutch-reversing element, and means to cause said element to shift the clutch members to the Wind-back position when the winding of the bobbins has proceeded for a predetermined period, that improvement which consists in providing an auxiliary impact member effective to exert an abrupt supplemental propelling force directly and axially on said clutch-reversing element, and means coacting with said builder mechanism to release said impact member at a point in the cycle of building operation at which the intermittent feed of the rail-shifting shaft is inoperative and the low point of the builder cam is in engagement with the builder lever.

LIONEL DESROSIERS. 

